


Visiting Hours

by Eustacia Vye (eustaciavye)



Series: Inception Bingo 2020 [1]
Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Dementia, F/M, Gen, Implied Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:41:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25335550
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eustaciavye/pseuds/Eustacia%20Vye
Summary: "I need a favor," Arthur said, sliding into a seat next to Ariadne.
Relationships: Ariadne & Arthur (Inception), Ariadne/Arthur (Inception)
Series: Inception Bingo 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1834918
Comments: 4
Kudos: 28
Collections: Inception Trope/Kink Bingo 2020





	Visiting Hours

**Author's Note:**

> For the "backstory" square in Inception Bingo.

"I need a favor," Arthur said, sliding into a seat next to Ariadne.

They had agreed to meet at a pâtisserie near the architecture firm she worked at. She had her lunch hour free to talk, then had to return to the drudgery of the firm. He was glad she was safe, but also hoped that she would grow bored with reality and want to build in dreams again.

She sipped her coffee and blinked at him. "What kind of favor?"

"Not a job," Arthur said quickly. He ignored the disappointment in her eyes. Perhaps she'd design levels for him soon enough.

"Well, you're the one with the contacts..."

"It's a personal one," he admitted. "My grandmother isn't doing well right now. She always wanted me to get married, but this career, which she knows nothing about, really isn't a good fit for that kind of life."

Ariadne leaned back in her chair and fidgeted with buttons on her jacket. "Fake relationship, then?"

"We're friends. We won't be faking that part."

"I don't know," Ariadne frowned. "Tricking a family member."

Arthur sighed. "Gram has Alzheimer's. I just want her to feel comfortable. I don't want her worrying about me."

Her expression softened a bit. "Isn't that what family does?"

"Normal ones, maybe," Arthur replied. He shrugged, not meeting her eyes. "Gram's always been good to me, so I just want to do her this favor."

Reaching into the space between them, Ariadne grasped his hand and squeezed it. "Just tell me where and when."

His smile was worth it, and Ariadne pushed away the misgiving of tricking an old woman with Alzheimer's dementia. Arthur so rarely asked for anything outside of a job, she was willing to help however he needed it.

***

Arthur's grandmother Sylvia was thin, with thick white hair in a long braid down her back. She wore soft clothing and held a stuffed dog in her arms. "Arthur!" she cried happily. "You came!"

"Always," he replied with an easy smile, coming in to give her a hug and a kiss. He pet the toy. "Hello, Benji."

Sylvia caught sight of Ariadne, then brightened. "You brought your wife!" she cried, shoving the toy into Arthur's hands to reach for Ariadne. "She's so lovely."

"This is Ariadne," Arthur said as introduction.

"So petite like Sophia," Sylvia said, laughing. She caught Ariadne's questioning glance. "Oh, Arthur wouldn't talk about her much, I suppose. He was so angry when she left us. His father was already long gone by then, the bum."

Ariadne raised an eyebrow and smiled at Sylvia. "Sounds like you know lots of stories."

"Ariadne," Arthur began in a warning tone.

"Careful with Benji!" Sylvia told Arthur. "Don't drop him!"

Arthur sighed and unhappily sat down on Sylvia's bed.

Holding court, Sylvia pulled Ariadne in close. "My daughter Sophia was always a wild child. Never listened to me or Henry, rest his soul. Ran with the bad crowd, didn't care for school. So many arguments, so stressful. She ran away for a while, came back pregnant with Arthur."

"Gram," Arthur sighed.

"Ah, don't worry, you're already married, it's not like she'll run from you," Sylvia cackled.

"It makes him uncomfortable," Ariadne murmured, seeing his jaw twitch. "Maybe we can talk about something else."

"Shaped who he is," Sylvia continued. "Did so well in school, then right into the army. So dedicated."

"He's very detail oriented," Ariadne agreed. "And works hard to protect all of us."

Sylvia beamed at Arthur. "That's m boy. Took after Henry, listened to us better than Sophia whenever she whirled back into the house. I used to pray she'd slow down, be a mother again. Never happened."

"I didn't need her, Gram," Arthur sighed. He was absently stroking Benji's fur. "Not when I had you and Granddad. You were my parents."

Ariadne smiled warmly at Sylvia. "You did such a wonderful job."

Sylvia brightened. "Shall we go through photos?"

"Gram!" Arthur cried, alarmed.

The two women grinned at each other, then moved to look through Sylvia's photo albums. As much as it irritated Arthur, he also cared more for his grandmother's happiness.

After the visit, Arthur took Ariadne to dinner as a thank you. "I really appreciate it. Gram really likes you."

"Of course she did," Ariadne teased. "And I liked seeing where you came from."

"Hardscrabble and with deficient parents?" Arthur sighed.

She shook her head sharply. "Your parents are the ones that raised you, and I just met your mother. Don't disrespect her efforts like that." She softened her words with a smile at his shocked expression. "I mean, I understand you better now. Why you're so driven to succeed, so detail oriented. I get it. When we don't grow up with opportunities, we feel like we have to constantly prove we deserved them."

He gave her a wry chuckle, then lifted his glass. "To proving ourselves and being worthy of the effort."

Definitely a toast for every night.

The End


End file.
